


Custody Agreements

by Hellbrat (Ringred19)



Series: Here or There Verse [6]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014), olicity - Fandom
Genre: #OHFAT, #OlicityHiatusFic, #OlicityHiatusFic-A-Thon, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, And...BUFFY REFERENCES...cause apparently that's how this verse rolls..., Angst, Angst and Humor, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Olicity Hiatus Fic-A-Thon, Prompt: Escape, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 12:19:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12211173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ringred19/pseuds/Hellbrat
Summary: Felicity learns a disturbing new side effect of her condition. A disappointment makes her rethink just how much she's allowed the other realities to influence her judgment and where she needs to go from here.





	Custody Agreements

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is the sixth installment of my "Here or There" verse and my submission for thebookjumper's Olicity Hiatus Fic-A-Thon for the Prompt: Escape. I know I'm late, but it's been a horrible week and I'm currently exhausted. Please excuse any typos I missed. I'll read back over it again later and try to fix anything I find. I can barely see straight at the moment. This installment has a "wink" for any readers of my other recently completed xover story "Anything But Ordinary". I hope you enjoy it! I would love to know what you think.
> 
> You can also find me on tumblr as @mshellbrat
> 
> Here goes!
> 
> ==========  
> Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!...except my original characters... :-)  
> ==========

banner by: Arienhod

_Felicity feels the blow coming and rolls out of the way. She spins, stake in hand, and faces down the demon. It's massive, at least seven feet tall, with dark angry red skin and long black spikes protruding from the top of its head and shoulders. Her eyes widen. “I'm thinking my stake's a fail on this one,” she calls._

_“Hold on!” A gorgeous guy in a black shirt and jeans answers her call for help. Dare, her mentor, the now-familiar rush of memories supplies her. He's working his way toward her from across the street. A female vampire flings herself onto his back and he reaches back to toss her away._

_A roar switches Felicity's focus back to the demon who rushes her. She hears the whistle of an arrow cutting through air and watches the projectile strike the demon mid-back. It jerks, but continues its pursuit. Yep, Oliver's arrows aren't cutting it either._

_Felicity tries to dodge, but the demon anticipates the move and has surprisingly quick reflexes. She takes a blow to the face and then his massive spike encrusted hands are wrapped around her throat. He lifts her off her feet and Felicity fights desperately to get free...to breath...she can't breath..._

_Her heartbeat is rushing in her ears, she can hear desperate calls of her name, and her vision is fading to black, when the world suddenly EXPLODES..._

_She falls to the ground, gasping for breath, covered in gore and ick and...EW! Her head is spinning and she's trying to make her brain slow down, or even function in a somewhat decipherable manner. WHAT THE FRELLING FRACK?!?_

_“LISSY!” Her cousin Meredith reaches her first, hugging her tightly despite her uberly icky state. Dare is right behind the tiny brunette. The two help pull Felicity to her feet._

_Felicity...who is still stunned and yet...disgusted. The demon exploded! It just blew up on her! “What was...was that an exploding arrow?!?” She can't believe Oliver would chance shooting the thing with an exploding arrow so close to her. What the hell was he thinking?_

_< NO!  > Oliver growls through the comm link in her ear, < It wasn't! Incoming. > She knows he'll be dropping in via zipline momentarily._

_“Then what the frack?” she wonders._

_“Oops?” Everyone spins to see a sheepish Thea hanging back at a distance with her archer boyfriend at her side. She makes an apologetic face at Felicity and throws her hands in the air. “I'm sorry! I'm still learning, you know? I might have overdone it.”_

_Felicity's jaw drops open. “You blew him up on me!”_

_“I didn't know if he'd be magic resistant!” Thea insists. “I couldn't take any chances!”_

_Rationally Felicity knows that. She knows Thea might actually have saved her life...or saved Oliver's sanity for the time it took for someone else to save her or revive her. She knows that she owes Thea and that Thea is a new witch who is still learning her craft and power. But still...EWWW! She points her finger at the younger woman. “You owe me a new outfit, missy! And a spa day! I'll need extensive exfoliation to ever feel clean again!”_

_Thea grins. “I'm always down for a spa day.”_

_Oliver finally arrives. He reaches out to pat her shoulder, but she notices he keeps careful distance from the ooze covering her. She rolls her eyes. “Love you, too. I'm fine.” She opens her mouth to comment further..._

==========

With a gasp, Felicity sat up on the stretcher and looked around her. She tried to get her bearings, to remember. Her eyes landed on Caitlin and her mind caught up. The new sleep study...testing her condition. But this felt different somehow. The way she'd awoken. She frowned. “What happened?”

Caitlin tried to cover her relief with a professional smile. “Sorry for the rude awakening. We had to pull you out early. There were some...fluctuations with your vitals.”

“Dude,” Cisco added from where he was leaning against the doorway, “your sats tanked and your heart rate was through the roof.”

After shooting him an admonishing look, Caitlin turned back to smile at Felicity. “You stabilized but we didn't want to take any chances.”

Felicity frowned and nodded. “Okay.” She thought back to the other reality and started putting together the pieces of a theory. When the demon had choked her? Had that somehow transferred to her condition here? “I was a slayer there,” she told them, “and a demon almost killed me. Thea saved me, but it was a close call.”

“How were you attacked?” Caitlin asked, all business.

“A...a slayer? Like a vampire slayer?” Cisco's voice was filled with awe. “Were you...in a cheerleading uniform?”

Felicity glared at him, because REALLY? This was not fantasy fulfillment time. “No, I was ME...but a slayer.”

He sighed, staring off into space. “That's almost as good.”

Felicity rolled her eyes and turned back to Caitlin. “It choked me.”

“Which would account for both a drop in oxygen saturation and an increase in heartrate,” Caitlin reasoned.

Felicity nodded. “This is even more dangerous than we anticipated. If actions in the other realities have consequences here...”

Caitlin frowned at her disapprovingly. “Which is yet another reason you should never have attempted to test this on your own.”

Felicity groaned and buried her face in her hands. “Trust me, I've gotten this lecture four times already.” She'd heard it from each and every teammate. It was still humiliating to remember being lectured about her recklessness by ROY. 

Speaking of her teammates, Felicity looked back up. “Where are Oliver and John?” They'd accompanied her to S.T.A.R. Labs for the testing and she couldn't believe they weren't flipping out right now.

Cisco snorted and pointed toward a viewing window into the control room. “He's been on the phone since your little episode.”

The blonde looked over to see Digg walking back and forth and barking at someone on his cell phone. She didn't, however, see Oliver. “Where's...”

“He had to leave while you were sleeping,” Caitlin explained. “He got a call about a situation back in Starling.”

Alarmed by Caitlin's careful tone and the possibilities, Felicity pushed off the stretcher and hurried toward Digg. It had to be Arrow business, right? Did someone get hurt? Had Slade shown back up?

As she pushed open the door to the control room, Felicity saw Digg lock his jaw. “Well, we all have our priorities, man, don't we?” He hung up the call and huffed.

Felicity rushed up beside him. “What's wrong? What happened?”

“Felicity!” Digg pulled her close in a tight hug. He breathed a sigh of relief and rested his chin on top of her head. “You had me worried sick, Smoak. You are NOT allowed to do that again!”

Hugging him back, Felicity voiced her fears. “Where's Oliver? What happened?” She felt Digg stiffen against her and hesitate. Pulling back, she desperately searched his face. “John?”

Digg grimaced and she felt her stomach drop. He took in a deep breath and blew it out before answering. His voice was soft and resigned. “Oliver's fine. Everything's fine...or it will be.”

Felicity frowned. “John?”

“Sara called,” he continued before she could ask any more questions. “There's some issue with Laurel. She wanted Oliver's help.”

Felicity was still confused. “Did she get kidnapped? Is she hurt?”

“No,” Digg shook his head and his eyes flashed with anger, “she's fine, Felicity. It's just...” he shrugged helplessly, “it's more of the Lance family drama. Same song, different verse.”

“Oh,” Felicity said. Her whole world slowed down and she realized the truth of the situation. Oliver had left in the middle of her sleep study, a study in which she'd apparently almost died, and run back to Starling after Laurel and Sara. She thought of the words she'd heard Digg saying on the phone. “That was Oliver,” she nodded toward his cell phone.

“Yea,” he acknowledged. “I'm not exactly his biggest fan, at the moment.”

Felicity huffed a laugh. Why? Was this supposed to be surprising? Oliver had proven over and over again that the Lance sisters came first. Biting her lip and fighting back useless tears, Felicity shrugged. “Oliver will be Oliver.” She forced a smile and tried to ignore the pity in John's eyes. “Let's finish this up with Caitlin and Cisco. I want to go home.”

Digg nodded. “Okay. Whatever you need.” He led her back toward the lab.

========== 

It had been three days since she'd returned from her enlightening trip to Central City. Felicity had called out of work the first day and texted the team that she was taking a 'mental health' night and they would have to make due without her. She'd returned to work the next day, but limited her interactions with Oliver to the absolutely essential and professional only. She'd also filed for approval of a two-week vacation at the beginning of the next month. Both Caitlin and Dr. Wells wanted to do much more extensive testing on her condition. They had differing theories on both origin and possible treatment. Felicity had yet to hear back from HR, but she doubted she would be refused. She certainly had enough time saved up.

“Felicity?”

The blonde flinched at the sound of his voice but tried to hide her reaction. It wouldn't do to appear unprofessional after all. He was still her boss. She painted on a bland smile and turned to face him standing in the doorway to her office. “Yes?”

Oliver frowned at her. “Are you okay? You've been...distant.”

It was everything she could do to maintain her composure. “I'm fine, just busy.”

He stepped closer and leaned against her desk. “Are you sure? There haven't been any lasting affects from the sleep study, have there? I'm just...worried.”

Felicity snorted. He was worried? Seriously? She shook her head. Too little and far too damn late. He looked so honest and sincere. It made her nauseous. “I'm fine, Oliver. Don't worry, I'm perfectly capable of carrying out my varied responsibilities.”

“That's not what I meant,” he said.

And Felicity knew that wasn't what he meant. She was his friend and he cared about her. He didn't want anything to be wrong with her. He didn't want to lose her. The problem was that she had yet to reach the point where she could see past her own hurt feelings and disappointed hopes. She knew she shouldn't blame him. Oliver had never lied to her. He was exactly who he had always been. He couldn't help it, really. Laurel, and to some extent Sara, would always be his first priority. Felicity was just thoroughly over being his consolation prize. She was tired of loving a man who spent his life running around after other women. Maybe he wasn't actually sleeping with either Lance (for the moment) but his heart was still tied up in knots with them. Maybe Felicity should be a big enough person to look past that, to accept that Oliver wanted to keep Laurel and Sara close because they'd played such a big part in his life, but...she wasn't. Felicity wanted someone to choose her. For once, Felicity wanted to be a priority. And frankly, with Oliver, she didn't see that ever happening. So, it wasn't Oliver's failing actually, it was hers. Oliver just couldn't give her what she needed and Felicity was going to have to find a way to forgive him for that.

She tried for a more sincere expression. “I'm fine. It was a scare, but no permanent damage. I know to be more cautious now.”

“I...” he winced and guilt shadowed his face, “I'm sorry I wasn't there.”

Felicity had to shut down the pain those words inadvertently caused. She flicked her eyes back to her monitor as they burned. “You did what you had to do.” She started closing out her work. She needed to go. She didn't know how much longer she could bear to sit here and deal with him. 

There was a long pause, then Oliver cleared his throat. “So...are we still on for the marathon tonight?”

Felicity froze. Her jaw clenched and she stared at him in disbelief. She'd been happy, so damn happy, at the prospect of that marathon. All she had wanted was to spend more time with him, to share something that was special to her with him. Now? The idea was laughable. She canted her head to the side. “No, Oliver, I'm sorry. I have plans.” Shutting down her desktop, she grabbed her purse and walked around the desk to leave. 

She'd almost escaped when she heard him call her name. She contemplated continuing to walk and ignoring him, but thought better of it. Swallowing hard, she turned back to face him. She tried to see past her own hurt and anger. “I think you have enough girlfriends to worry about already, Oliver. You should call Laurel.” Without waiting for his reaction, she left.

========== 

By the time she'd arrived home, Felicity had decided that she wasn't about to let the fact that Oliver sucked cost her another marathon. So, the question became: would she binge watch by herself or take a chance on inviting someone else? Staring at her phone and sipping her first glass of red wine, Felicity took a chance. Two hours later, she was camped out on her couch, sipping on her fourth glass of wine, with Thea Queen sprawled out beside her. Both women were also sniffling and crying as they quoted the most heartbreaking speech in the entire Buffy series...the Buffy to Dawn speech at the end of 'The Gift'.

“Dawn, the hardest thing in this world...is to live in it. Be brave. Live...for me,” Felicity sobbed and gulped another mouthful of wine.

Thea sniffled and groaned as Buffy dove off the tower and into the portal. She looked tearfully at Felicity. “WHY did you add this one?” 

They'd used the draw-from-a-hat method to pick episodes. Felicity had added 'The Gift'. Now she shrugged and admitted. “I'm in a mood, okay?” Her breath hitched and she sobbed again. 

Looking disbelieving and still teary, Thea stared at Felicity. “Tell me you didn't add 'The Body'?” Felicity scrunched her face and bit her lip. Thea shook her head rapidly. “We are NOT watching 'The Body'! We don't have enough tissues!”

“But...” Felicity pouted, “but...Anya!”

“NO!” Thea pointed her finger at Felicity. “I draw the line!”

“Fine,” Felicity said. She didn't, however, volunteer that her other choices weren't exactly bright and cheery. She needed the ANGST! She needed the release, the escape, the ability to cry...to cry about something that wasn't her pathetic love life and her crushed hopes and broken heart. She shouldn't even have a broken heart. Oliver didn't owe her anything. She'd let those stupid other worlds, those different realities, blind her to the truth. She was the tech support, not the love interest. She needed to get over it and move on. It was time to bury those ridiculous fluffy fantasies and do her damn job like the professional she was. She still had Team Arrow and their mission. That was what really mattered. 

“Oh god,” Thea looked over her broken miserable frame and made a pained face, “what did he do now?”

Felicity blinked and tried to look confused. “Nothing. What are you talking about? Who?”

Thea huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “What did my idiot brother do?” 

Felicity opened her mouth to try to deflect again, but Thea's phone started ringing. She looked down and her lips drew into an angry line. “Nevermind. I'll ask the dumbass myself.” She accepted the call. “What did you do, Oliver? And so help me GOD, if this comes back to a damn Lance...”

Felicity winced. She pushed to her feet and walked unsteadily toward her kitchen. She needed more wine...and ice cream. She bet Thea would like some ice cream. She was totally willing to share her mint chip. She liked Thea THAT much. Thea was A-okay with Felicity. They were buds! 

Thinking about the younger Queen and her phone call, Felicity pulled out her own phone. She'd silenced it hours ago, but she noticed she had several missed calls, voicemails, texts, and Facebook messages. The latest was a Facebook message from Sara. Felicity snorted. Yea...soooooooo not happening. It was taking all of her considerable self-restraint to resist kicking Sara off her friends list like a sulky dramatic teenager. Sara was officially on her shit list. She was an accomplice!

“FELICITY!” Thea called. “Are you hiding in your own kitchen? You better be getting more alcohol and you better get back out here. I will drag you by your hair. We have gut-wrenching Buffy episodes to watch!”

Felicity snickered despite herself. She bet Thea had sneaked a peak in the hat. Felicity might have even stacked the deck and added some of her episodes twice. Then she realized something and frowned. “You're underage! I'm not contributing to your delinquency. I am a good influence, dammit!”

“Whatever,” Thea said, “just come on!”

Felicity grabbed her wine, two pints of mint chip, and two spoons. She toddled back toward the living room. 

Thea's eyes lit up when she spotted the ice cream. She held out her hand in the universal 'gimme' sign. She was still talking on her cell phone. “I don't care how complicated you think it all is, Ollie, or that you don't want to get into it with me before you talk to Felicity. You obviously fucked up. I've played this game before. And just so we're clear? I'm Team Felicity. Cause I've met you! This is totally your fault!”

Felicity nodded happily and handed Thea her pint of mint chip and spoon. Okay, so she might be a little drunky and she might have passed reasonable a while ago and slid straight into irrational and bitchy, but it felt so nice to have someone on her team! She smiled widely at the other girl and plopped back down on the couch. 

She listened happily and in a daze as Thea bitched out her brother. She sipped slowly on her next glass of wine. She popped her spoon in her mouth and moaned as mint chip hit her tongue. And then...then she had a brilliant, fabulous, wonderful idea! One that she needed to do right now, because she KNEW she'd never have the guts when she was sober and it NEEDED to be said. Oliver needed to know!

Felicity pulled out her own phone and popped open her text messages. She typed her message out quickly and sent it off to Oliver. She nodded at her determination and satisfaction. 

Her message: Dear Oliver, regarding custody agreements and the dispersion of our mutual friends. I wave all rights to Sara...but I'm keeping THEA! Have a wonderful night.

==========


End file.
